A Toshiro x Karin fanfiction
by kgy9417
Summary: Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya has orders to monitor a girl with strong spirtual pressure in the world of the living. That girl just so happens to be Karin Kurosaki. Everything seems to be going fine, until a dangerous being appears, threatening the two. Together, they must figure out why they are being targeted. Working together will allow for new feelings to blossom between the two.
1. Chapter 1 A Misson to Monitor the Girl!

**I don't own Bleach- that goes for every chapter. I'm putting this here because I always forget.**

Chapter 1

"A Mission to Monitor the Girl!"

"Fine, I understand," the young Squad 10 Captain groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. He was given orders by the Head Captain to travel to the world of the living to monitor a young girl with immense spiritual pressure. _"I understand why they chose me, but I have so much work to do. Work that I know will never get done because of my good-for-nothing lieutenant." _The captain sighed as he glanced at the never ending stack of papers that cluttered his desk. _"Dammit. Where is that boy? Why can't he watch over his own sister?" _

"Ummmm, Captain?"

"What, Rangiku? Can't you see I'm busy?"

"Well… It's just that… You know since you will be going to the world of the living…I was wondering if you could pick up a few things for me…" Rangiku stood a short distance away from her captain, clutching a piece of paper close to her chest.

_"I'm surrounded by a bunch of idiots…" _The Squad 10 leader looked up at his hopeful lieutenant. "Alright, fine," he mumbled.

"YAY!" Rangiku sprinted towards her captain and threw her arms around him, forcing his head in between her breasts. "You are the best captain ever," she continued to squeal while bouncing up and down, further irritating the captain. "I saw these skirts in this great fashion magazine, and…"

"Rangiku…" The captain hissed through gritted teeth.

"Hmmm?" Rangiku stopped bouncing and glanced down at her smothered captain.

"LET GO OF ME!" the captain bellowed, causing his lieutenant to jump back in fear.

"Oh my Captain," Rangiku started, allowing her voice to sound smooth and soft, "Are you blushing? Hahaha!" She covered her mouth with her hand to try and muffle her giggles. "Did I embarrass you?" She watched as her captain quickly turned away in attempt to hide his reddened face.

"No," he pouted, crossing his arms to emphasize his anger. "Listen, Rangiku," he began, regaining his composure, "I'm expecting you to get all of this paperwork done while looking after the squad."

"But, Captain," the lieutenant whined. "Can't I just go with you? We can take Renji, Ikkaku, and Yumichika, too! It will be just like old times!"

"No, you four will just get in my way. Besides, they all have training to do. Speaking of training, I believe that is another thing you can add on your list of things to do while I'm gone."

"Ha! I don't need to train, Captain," Rangiku boasted, "Haineko and I are in perfect harmony!"

"Then why were you easily defeated by those fracción? And, what about your bankai?" The captain raised his eyebrows and shifted his eyes towards his lieutenant's zanpakutō.

"Captain!" Rangiku cried, "I can't achieve bankai at my current level!"

"Why not? Renji has, and I've been made aware that Ikkaku has, also. Ikkaku is a third seat, Rangiku. One rank lower than you. So, please elaborate on why you don't think you are strong enough to achieve bankai."

"I…It's just that…I don't have a strong enough will to fight like they do." Rangiku sat down on the couch, nervously wringing her hands. She heard her captain moving towards her.

"Rangiku… I know that he's gone now, but don't you think he would want you to become stronger?" Rangiku flinched as her captain laid his small hand on her shoulder.

"I suppose you are right… Okay!" Rangiku hopped up and skipped towards her leader's desk. "You leave all of this to me! You don't have to worry about a thing!" She beamed at her captain as she plopped down in his chair and began sorting through the papers.

"Why do I still feel so uneasy about this?" The small captain groaned as he spun on his heel and shuffled towards the door.

* * *

"Now your objective is clear, right?" Head Captain Yamamoto peered down at his Squad 10 Captain.

"Yes, Sir. I am to monitor the young girl and try to discover why she has such strong spiritual pressure." The small captain looked up at his superior and met his gaze.

"Very well. Open the Senkaimon!" The Head Captain boomed as an unfamiliar soul reaper appeared and drew out his zanpakutō to open the gate. Once opened, the young captain stepped forward, slightly turning his head to speak.

"I will not fail this mission." With that being said and one last nod to his lieutenant, the short captain marched through the giant gates, not watching as they closed slowly behind him.

* * *

"Bye!" Karin Kurosaki waved to her friends and slung her backpack over her shoulders. She wiped the sweat dripping down her forehead then began to retie her ponytail. "What a game," she sighed to herself, catching a quick glimpse of her reflection in the glass door of her school building. "Well, I could look worse," she laughed as she kneeled down to adjust her shoe laces.

"Hello, Karin." Karin gasped as her eyes darted up, viewing the figure standing behind her through the door reflection. Her jaw dropped at the familiar face. Snowy white hair and intense teal eyes, she would recognize that face anywhere.

"To…Toshiro!"

**There's Chapter 1! Hope Everyone likes it! I haven't thought of a title for the entire series yet, but I will soon! Rated T for future chapters..**

**Bleach-Tite Kubo**


	2. Chapter 2 It's You, Karin

Chapter 2

It's You, Karin

"What are you doing here!?" Karin spun around and ran towards her old friend. "You look different. Did you get a haircut? It looks good!" _"What the hell, Karin!? Why are you talking so much?! Oh crap! I'm blushing!" _Karin laughed awkwardly and looked down at her shoes.

"Well someone seems very excited to see me." Toshiro smiled and crossed his arms, moving his eyes over the blushing girl.

"Ha! You just surprised me! That's all. Don't get excited." Karin threw her hands on her hips in an attempt to look superior.

"Right." Toshiro spoke skeptically as he began walking to the soccer field. "Wanna play?"

"Well…I…Uh…" _"I'm pretty beat from the game I just played, but… Oh, who cares! I can take him!" _Karin tossed her backpack on a bench and reached back to tighten her ponytail. She approached Toshiro and began stretching. "Let's play!" Toshiro smiled, shaking his head.

"You really are just like your brother." He grabbed a soccer ball and kicked it to Karin. She effortlessly stopped it.

"What do you mean?" Karin began kicking the ball up and easily hitting it with her knees.

"You never know when to stop."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Karin let the ball fall to the ground.

"It means that you don't know when you have reached your limit. I know that you just finished a game, yet you still agreed to play against me. You ignore your body's constant urging to rest, just like Ichigo." Toshiro watched as Karin smirked.

"That's because were tough!" Karin brought her arms up, flexing her tiny muscles.

"Hmmph, yea." Toshiro strolled towards Karin and kicked the ball away.

"What are you doing?" Karin tilted her head slightly, squinting against the falling sun. Toshiro moved to stand in front of her. His small body was now blocking the sun. _"He's seems different. But, it's a good different. He seems more mature, and he looks great. Really great. The hair will take some time getting used to, but it definitely suits him. And his eyes! They are the same intense yet beautiful eyes that I remember. They always come across cold at first, but there's a kind of warmth that quickly takes over. Maybe it's because he's with me…?"_

"Karin?" Karin shook her head to clear her thoughts. Toshiro had both hands placed gently on her shoulders.

"Sorry. Umm, you never told me why you are here." Karin brought her eyes to meet his piercing ones.

"I have orders to monitor someone with very strong spiritual pressure here."

"Oh? Do you need help finding this person? I can help!"

"I've already found them." Toshiro turned away from Karin and began walking to the bench where her backpack was.

"Who is it? Can you tell me or is it confidential?" Karin raced to catch up with Toshiro, watching as he picked up her backpack and casually slung it over one shoulder.

"It's you." He turned to watch her face turn from excitement to confusion in an instant.

"M…Me?" _"What the hell? Why do I need to be monitored? Am I gonna end up being a soul reaper like Ichigo?" _"Does this mean I will become a soul reaper!?"

"No." Toshiro watched as she tried to hide her disappointment.

"Then, why do I need to be watched?"

"Because, it's dangerous for someone with that high amount of spiritual pressure to run around unprotected. Hollows will be especially attracted to you."

"But, aren't there other soul reapers assigned here to kill the hollows?" Karin tried to grasp everything Toshiro was saying.

"Well, yes. However, the Head Captain thought it would be best if we sent someone to watch over you specifically, and since I have a lot of experience in the world of the living, I was the most logical choice."

"So, you are basically here to babysit me…?" Karin couldn't hide the irritation growing in her voice.

"No. Don't get any ideas that I will be playing the role of a babysitter. I'm here to make sure you stay out of danger while trying to figure out why you have such immense spiritual pressure."

"And what happens when you find out why I have strong spiritual pressure? Are you gonna do some kinda experiment on me to take it away?"

"Of course not. I will teach you how to control it." Toshiro sighed while trying to stay calm at the hounding questions. He stopped walking when he realized Karin was no longer beside him. He looked back to see her standing a short distance away, trembling with anger. "Karin?"

"This is dumb! I can protect myself! I'm older and stronger now!"

"Karin, I'm not saying that you can't defend yourself. But, hollows aren't to be underestimated. You know that. I was given orders to monitor you, and I intend on doing just that. Besides…" Toshiro looked down. "I couldn't bare it if something happened to you," he mumbled and quickly began walking again.

_"Ah! What did he just say!? He couldn't bare it if I got hurt!? He really cares about me? Maybe he likes me? I…I kinda like him…" _Karin relaxed her hands and trotted towards Toshiro. "Sorry. I guess I am just like Ichigo. He always gets angry really fast. Anyway, what should we do?"

"He's hot-headed. Don't worry. You are not THAT much like him. As for a plan, I believe we should wait a few days to see if you attract any hollows and then go from there."

"Okay. Where are you going to stay?"

"That is not something you need to worry about." He flashed a quick smirk to her before quickening his pace.

_"Fine, whatever." _She huffed and ran to catch up with him.

* * *

"Right. I will know if you are in trouble, so you don't have to worry." Toshiro handed Karin her backpack and headed away from her house.

"You sure you don't wanna just stay here!?" Karin called out to her friend. She watched as he waved his hand, never turning around. "I guess not." She mumbled and walked into her house.

* * *

"I'm going to bed," Karin called to her sister and father as she placed her bowl in the sink. She groaned as she forced her sore legs to move up the steps. "Maybe it was a good thing that I didn't play that game with Toshiro." She threw her hands up and yawned, stopping for a second to peer into Ichigo's room. "I wonder where he is," she whispered as she continued to her own bedroom.

Once she made sure her door was locked, she changed into her pajamas and hopped into her bed, snuggling close to her blanket. Minutes passed while she lied still, staring at her ceiling. "Ugh! What the hell?" She sat up in her bed. "Why can I sense him so close to here? Is he...?" Tugging her blanket tightly around her, she got out of bed and opened her window. She placed her free hand on the side of the window and slowly stepped onto the roof. She moved cautiously to the figure sitting on the edge, his feet dangling. "Why are you up here?" She carefully sat down beside him and tugged her blanket closer to her. "It's cold."

"The cold doesn't bother me." Toshiro glanced at Karin. "What are you doing up here?"

"I could sense you up here."

"You could? You must be much stronger than I thought. I was masking my spiritual pressure."

"I told you!" Karin stopped to sneeze. "I'm tough!" Toshiro smiled and pulled her blanket back up over her bare shoulder, letting his hand linger on her back for a moment.

"And just what the hell are you doing with my sister!?" A familiar voice growled from behind them, causing the two to jump in fright. They carefully hopped up and spun around.

"Look who finally decided to make an appearance." Toshiro threw his hands into his pockets and stepped forward.

"Yea, well I've been busy… I can see you have been busy too, Toshiro." The familiar face cocked both eyebrows and gestured towards Karin and Toshiro.

"How many times am I going to have to tell you?" Toshiro's eyebrow twitched. "It's Captain Hitsugaya to you, Ichigo."

**There's chapter 2! Sorry in advance for any grammatical errors I missed! Hope everyone likes it! **

**Bleach- Tite Kubo **


	3. Chapter 3 Something Doesn't Feel Right

Chapter 3

Something Doesn't Feel Right

The tall boy crossed his arms and smirked. "You always get so mad when I do that." He inched closer to the small captain and his young sister. "But seriously, what the hell are you doing here!?"

"Lower your voice, Ichigo. You will wake the entire town with that careless yelling." Toshiro shot a warning glance to the fuming boy before moving to retake his place on the edge of the roof.

"I will lower my voice when you answer my damn question!" Ichigo threw his hands down to his sides, clenching his fists.

Realizing she needed to step in before her roof turned into a fighting arena, Karin approached her older brother, carefully considering her choice of words. "Ichigo, he's here to monitor me." She watched her brother's jaw fall to his feet.

"Wh-what!? What for!?" Ichigo darted his eyes frantically between the two, aggravation building at their calm composures.

Toshiro bent one leg at the knee, moving it close to his chest. He rested his small hands on top of his knee. Sighing, he tilted his head back slightly to take in the dark sky. After a few moments, he began to speak. "Have you not noticed, Ichigo?"

The question was asked with rhetorical intentions, but Ichigo was too flustered to realize. "Noticed what? Is Karin in danger?!" He looked to his sister, sensing her judging his actions.

"At the moment, No." Toshiro placed his head on top of his hands, refusing to meet eyes with the confused boy.

"Toshiro," Ichigo's voice dropped to a low, intense whisper, "I want you to realize that this is my little sister we are talking about here. So, I would appreciate it if you would give me a straight answer." Ichigo moved his eyes from his shoes to the back of the captain's head.

Karin was beginning to think that, no matter what was going to be said, her brother was going to blow up. She watched as he silently walked towards her friend, intensely shaking with rage. "Ichigo!" Karin raced towards him and clumsily grabbed at his arm. "I'm not in danger! I just have high spiritual pressure! So, he was sent here to find out why!" _"Don't start a fight you idiot! He's a captain! You will get crushed!" _Karin tugged on Ichigo's sleeve until he turned to face her. She moved her eyes up to his worried ones.

"Is that true?" Ichigo kept his eyes locked with Karin's but directed the question to Toshiro.

"Yes." Toshiro glanced back to the two siblings, guilt creeping up at the sight of them. Ichigo's brightly-colored bangs masked his eyes as he kept his face directed at the ground. Karin was lightly tugging at his sleeve, brows furrowed. A sudden change in her spiritual pressure caused the young captain to smile.

Karin's eyebrows began twitching. She sighed in annoyance and let go of her brother's sleeve. She blatantly lifted her leg and swiped it against Ichigo's legs, knocking him onto his back.

"Ow! What the hell was that for!?" Ichigo bolted up and began rubbing his throbbing back.

"Quit moping," Karin demanded then wandered off to her window, leaving the two boys to settle their differences.

"Brat," Ichigo grumbled as he continued to massage his sore back. He moved his eyes back to Toshiro, noticing the small boy's muscles tense. "What's up?" He slowly trekked across the roof to sit beside his friend.

"You know just as well as anyone else that having high spiritual pressure could be very dangerous." Toshiro kept his gaze locked onto the sleeping town.

"Yea, I know," Ichigo answered softly, leaning back on his elbows.

"I would assume that her spiritual pressure if that strong because you are her brother." Toshiro peered down and rolled his eyes at Ichigo's lazy appearance.

"Well, if you know the reason, then why don't you start doing whatever it is you have planned to help her?" Ichigo straightened out his arms and moved them behind his head. He let his eyes wander to the stars.

"I'm going to, but…" The white-haired boy's words trailed off.

"What?" Ichigo rolled his head over to the direction of the captain.

"Something doesn't feel right."

"What do you mean?" Ichigo pushed himself up and turned his body towards the captain. He watched as his friend closed his eyes while guiding his hand through his spikey hair. "Is Karin really in danger?" Ichigo didn't try to hide the panic that was building in his voice.

"I don't know." Toshiro rested his chin in his palm. "I've had this odd feeling ever since I arrived."

"Does Karin know?" Ichigo could sense Toshiro's frustration even through his subtle actions.

"No. I don't want her to worry. If it becomes serious, then I will tell her. Until then, I will do whatever I can to protect her." The small captain spoke quietly. "I've been training to become stronger. After Aizen's battle, I realized that, for a Captain's rank, I'm weak."

Ichigo wanted to protest but thought better of it. He was aware that it wasn't easy for his friend to admit to being weak.

"So, I focused my training on basic swordsmanship. I rely too heavily on Hyōrinmaru."

"How did the training go?" Ichigo asked curiously.

"It went well. I feel stronger and more independent. I should be able to fight more accurately for a longer time before turning to Hyōrinmaru." Toshiro looked at Ichigo confidently. "Therefore, I promise to not let anything happen to Karin."

"I know. I trust you." Ichigo stood up. "I'm going to bed. Do you want to stay in my room tonight?"

"I'm fine here."

"Fine. Just don't let anyone see you because you look like a creep sitting up here." Ichigo moved to his opened window, laughing as he watched Toshiro scrunch his shoulders in irritation.

* * *

Karin quickly ducked down under her window to hide from her brother. She peeked over to see him climb into his bedroom. She then shifted her eyes to Toshiro, now wearing his all black Shihakushō. She watched as his captain's haori stirred in the breeze. He sat with his legs crossed, his zanpakutō resting in his lap.

"Is he meditating?" Karin mumbled to herself. She watched as he delicately laid his hands on his sheathed sword. "Hmmph, I don't understand soul reapers." The young girl stole one last glance at the peaceful-looking soul reaper before climbing into bed. _"What did he mean something feels odd?" _She groaned and pulled her blanket up to her chin. _"I can't ask him. He will know I was eavesdropping." _She squeezed her eyes shut. _"I just have to trust that he will tell me soon." _She rolled onto her side and allowed herself to fall into a deep sleep.

**There's chapter 3! Hope everyone likes it! And, thanks for the reviews, favorites, and follows! **

**Bleach-Tite Kubo **


	4. Chapter 4 A Stranger in Her Mind

Chapter 4

A Stranger in Her Mind

The next few days breezed by. Karin would go to school while Toshiro would watch her, along with the surrounding area, closely. There were no signs of hollows or any other potential threats. Therefore, he decided that, for now, he would ignore the uneasy feeling that he couldn't shake away. Thinking the time is right, Toshiro was given permission by Urahara to use his underground training area. He planned to take Karin there the following day.

* * *

"Where are we going again?" Karin walked a few steps behind her friend, noticing how relaxed he seemed. _"Maybe he doesn't think anything is wrong anymore…?" _She sighed and moved her hand to tighten her ponytail.

"Urahara's shop to start your training," the young captain answered for the fifth time that day.

"Why there? That guy kinda creeps me out…" She shuddered at the thought of his eerie smile. "And there's that quiet girl and that annoying brat, too. Not to mention that big guy with the glasses and the weird mustache. And there are these dolls that …" Karin shut her mouth when she saw Toshiro stop walking.

"Karin, Kisuke Urahara and Tessai are very diligent men," Toshiro turned around to face the young girl, "and Kisuke cares deeply for the two children that reside there. Don't worry about the talking dolls; they are just modified souls created by Kisuke for a specific purpose." He watched as his friend looked down apologetically. "It's alright, Karin. I understand that this is all new to you, so you may have questions." He gently cupped her chin, pulling her face close to his. He gave her a reassuring smile before dropping his hand. Quickly, he spun around and began walking ahead, hoping to hide his blushing face.

Karin placed a finger on her tingling chin. _"What was that, hmmm?" _She grinned and began strolling after her friend.

* * *

"How is this under his shop!?" Karin motioned to the huge training ground. "No matter what way I look, I can't see an end to it!" She dropped down and moved her hand against the rough terrain. "This is impossible…"

"Karin, don't worry about that. Come here and sit down." Toshiro popped a soul candy into his mouth to separate himself from his gigai. He ordered his gigai to go back up to Kisuke's shop then sat down, crossing his legs.

Karin huffed and faltered over to the Captain. She eased herself onto the ground and matched his sitting position. She glanced over at the meditating boy. "Umm, what am I supposed to do?"

"Close your eyes," he spoke softly, "and imagine that you are building a barrier around your mind, enclosing all of your thoughts and emotions." Toshiro peeked over to see Karin breathing in and out slowly. Her eyes were closed and her muscles appeared relaxed. _"She's a fast learner…" _He smiled and closed his eyes, relaxing his own body.

* * *

Karin found herself floating in darkness. Suddenly, a small, shimmering light began to float beside her. She lunged and snatched it up. The black-haired girl peered down at her clenched fist, noticing the streaks of light escaping through the cracks between her fingers.

"What is this?" She gasped as her voice echoed through the darkness. She opened her fist and watched as small pictures drifted above her before disappearing. "That's…" Small photos of Ichigo floated in front of her face before vanishing above her. She recognized every picture. "Haha, that was Ichigo's first day of high school." She smiled at the picture of her older brother being kicked in the face by their father. To the left of her, Karin noticed a different set of pictures.

She slipped along and grabbed a picture. "Toshiro…" She smiled softly as she looked down at their first soccer game together. She reached for another and felt her face reddening at the sight of Toshiro cupping her chin. "These are my memories…"

"They are…"

Karin gasped at the sound of an unfamiliar voice. She frantically spun around but could not find the owner of the voice. "W-who's there?!" She stuttered.

"That's not important…"

"What the hell…?" Karin turned to see a cloaked figure walking towards her. "Who the hell are you!?"

"I said that's not important…"

"How is it not important!?" Karin yelled and tried to float towards the unknown being, but her body was frozen in place. Trembling, she flinched as the stranger reached her and ran a gloved hand down her cheek. "Get away from me!" She cried and tried to jerk her head away but the stranger wrapped their hand around the top of her thin neck, forcing her to look up. "Let me go!" She grunted as the long fingers tightened, causing her to lose her breath. "_Ugh, I can't breathe!" _Karin felt her body going limp as she desperately struggled to catch a breath. _"My vision… I can't… What's happening…?" _

"Until we meet again, my sweet Karin…"

* * *

Karin jolted up and wrapped her arms around her neck, coughing violently. She felt tears pouring down her cheeks.

"Karin!" Toshiro watched the shaking, crying girl; his brows furrowed. "What happened?" He was only given a loud, choking cough as a response. Carefully, he pulled Karin's hands away from her neck then gasped at the sight of a blackening bruise in the shape of a hand. "Who did this…?" He asked; his voice low and serious.

"I-I don't know…" Karin managed to finally catch her breath. She looked up into Toshiro's worried eyes. "Some person appeared while I was looking through my memories…"

"What!?" Toshiro's eyes widened at her words. _"That's impossible. How can someone intrude in her mind? Maybe, she's delirious, but… There's no way she could have choked herself. The hand-shaped bruise is too big… Karin…" _Toshiro pulled the trembling girl to her feet and wrapped his arms around her. "Everything is okay now," he whispered while he rubbed her back.

Karin burrowed her face into the Captain's neck, desperately trying to wipe that image from her mind. "I-I couldn't move… I just stood there, helpless…" She suddenly pulled away.

"Karin?" Toshiro reached to grab the girl's arm.

"Is someone trying to kill me?" She drew in a sharp breath as she watched Toshiro ponder the thought.

"I don't-"

"Captain!" Toshiro and Karin turned to see Rangiku running towards them.

"Rangiku!? What are you doing here!?" Toshiro brought his eyes down to the blood oozing out of a gash on the woman's leg.

"Head Captain Yamamoto sent us!" Rangiku grunted and pressed her hand against her stomach.

"Us? What for?"

"Ikkaku, Yumichika, Renji and I. They sent us to help fight the hollows!" Rangiku collapsed to her knees, groaning at the pain from her wounds.

"You are that injured from some hollows?" Toshiro gave his lieutenant a skeptical look.

"There's something different about them…" Rangiku looked up at the two standing before her, "And I think they are after Karin…"

Toshiro unsheathed his zanpakutō. "Stay here!" Without looking back, the young Captain charged to help in the battle.

**There's chapter 4! Finally getting to some good stuff haha. Anyway, sorry in advance for any grammar errors, and thanks for all the favorites, follows, and reviews :)**

**Bleach-Tite Kubo **


	5. Chapter 5 Who the Hell Are You

Chapter 5

Who the Hell Are You

Toshiro raced outside with his zanpakutō ready. He darted his eyes around the surrounding area but was only greeted with the sight of three injured soul reapers. He cautiously moved towards Renji and offered his hand, keeping his grip on his zanpakutō with his other hand.

"What happened? Where are the hollows?" He eyed the bruised redhead.

"They just disappeared," Renji answered through gritted teeth as he grabbed the young Captain's hand. He allowed the Captain to pull him up. "Ikkaku? Yumichika?" He glanced over to see Yumichika helping Ikkaku.

"Yea, we're fine," Ikkaku called over his shoulder.

"What do you mean they 'disappeared,' Toshiro began to look around again, "did you defeat them?" He glanced back at Urahara's unharmed shop. "Where is Kisuke?"

"We told him to take the two brats and run," Renji responded, rubbing the back of his head. He walked to Yumichika and helped him pull Ikkaku to his feet.

Toshiro squinted up at the sky. _"This doesn't make any sense… Why would they just disappear?" _He looked over his shoulder to see Ikkaku being supported by his two friends. "Are you alright?" He spun around and walked to the three boys. He let his eyes fall on Ikkaku's slumped head. "Ikkaku?"

"I'm…fine…" Ikkaku mumbled, slightly lifting his head to meet the captain's eyes.

Toshiro took one last glance around the area before suggesting that they go to the underground arena to talk.

* * *

"What do you mean you couldn't hurt them?" Toshiro stood, leaning against a boulder with his arms crossed.

"No matter how many times we attacked, no damage was done." Yumichika kept peeking over at his injured friend, brows furrowed in concern. "It was as if our zanpakutō had no effect on them." He sighed.

"That's impossible," Toshiro mumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose. He shifted his eyes to Karin.

Karin sat with her arms wrapped tightly around her-an attempt to protect her body from that eerie stranger that appeared in her mind. She couldn't shake that creepy figure from her thoughts- the way their voice slipped into her small ears like an unwanted spider crawling to her mind, and the way their gloved hand touched her skin like snake slowly sliding up her cheek.

The young girl shuddered and drew her knees to her chest. She rested her head on top of her knees, covering her ears with trembling hands.

"Karin?" Toshiro stepped away from the boulder and moved to sit beside the young girl. He carefully placed his hand on her back, only to lift it as she flinched. "It's okay," he assured her as he began to softly rub her trembling back.

"What happened?" Renji nodded towards Karin.

"Someone intruded in her mind while she was meditating…" Toshiro met eyes with Renji.

"Do you think it could be a zanpakutō calling to her like Hyōrinmaru called to you?" Rangiku chimed in, trying to sound upbeat to comfort Karin.

Karin looked up at Rangiku. "I'm not sure what that means, but I don't think that's what it was." She stopped and looked down. "When I asked them who they were, they said that's not important." She brushed her bangs back and tried to ignore the frightening memories tugging at her mind. "The last thing he said to me was," she paused, remembering those words, "he said, 'Until we meet again, my sweet Karin.'" She laid her head in her cupped hands and let out a light sob.

"Karin…" Rangiku looked at the distraught girl then to her captain. "What should we do, Captain?"

Toshiro kept his eyes on the crying girl. "I wonder," he stopped to watch Karin's shaking shoulders, "would she be safer in the Soul Society?" He let his mind wander back to his conversation with Ichigo. _"I promise to not let anything happen to Karin." _He sighed and started pondering his options. _"Taking her to the Soul Society would be the safest option, but getting that passed Ichigo is going to prove to be quite a problem…" _

"Captain?" Rangiku brought her face close to her unfocused captain.

"What?" He looked up at his lieutenant, twitching at how close her breasts were to his face.

"You were spacing out." She smiled and pat his head.

"I was thinking," he said as he knocked her hand away. "Well, Karin. What do you want to do?" He peered over at the silent girl.

"I…I don't know… I'm a human..." She rubbed her eyes and looked up at Toshiro. "Plus, I don't think Ichigo would easily agree to that." She stood up and began walking towards the ladder that led back to the top of Urahara's shop. "Should we ask Urahara about it?" She looked over her shoulder at the other soul reapers.

"I suppose." Toshiro stood up and lent his hand to Rangiku. "We can ask Tessai to heal your wounds as well." He pulled Rangiku up then began making his way to the ladder with three injured soul reapers in tow.

* * *

"That's strange…" Urahara scratched his chin and peered up at the young captain. "Whoever appeared in her mind was not a zanpakutō." He nodded and continued. "I find it very suspicious that those hollows appeared around the same time this unknown person appeared in Karin's mind." He removed his hat and ran his fingers through his tangled hair. "I think there is a connection." He shook his head at the gasps that followed his announcement. "I'm not entirely sure," he laughed, waving his hand in front of his face. "However, it is not something we can ignore," he said, his serious tone returning.

"Well of course not," Toshiro stated as he stood up. "I'm going to go speak with Ichigo." He moved to the door and pulled it open, stumbling back from the person standing before him. "Ichigo!?"

"Hey," the tall boy smiled and rubbed the back of his neck, "I was just in the neighborhood, so I thought I would stop by to see how…" His words trailed off at the sight of his sister's red eyes. "Toshiro…" He let his voice drop to an intense whisper. "What happened?" He kept his eyes locked on Karin's.

"You should probably explain the situation to the angered big brother, Captain Hitsugaya!"

Ichigo and Toshiro raced outside to a cloaked figure standing a few yards away.

"Who the hell are you!?" Ichigo stopped and started rummaging through his pockets for a soul candy but jumped back as Toshiro charged ahead with his zanpakutō raised high above his head, preparing to swing.

**There's chapter 5! Sorry it's so short and that it took kinda long! I'm still trying to decide how I want to pace this fic. Sorry in advance for any grammar errors I might have missed. Thanks for all the reviews, favorites, and follows! **

**Bleach-Tite Kubo **


	6. Chapter 6 That Might be a Problem

Chapter 6

That Might be a Problem

Toshiro charged forward, not caring what consequences might come from his actions. He was only concerned with brutally hurting the person who hurt his dear friend. He squeezed his fingers tighter around the hilt of his zanpakutō and inhaled deeply. "Rain over the fro-"

"Stop!" Karin raced towards the scene only to have Ichigo quickly wrap his arm around her waist, preventing her from moving forward. "Nngh! Let me go, Ichigo!" She pounded her small fists against his strong arm, but he would not loosen his hold. She huffed and focused her attention to the young captain. "Wait, Toshiro!" She screamed desperately, digging her nails into her brother's arm, causing him to wince slightly.

Toshiro skidded to a halt and stole one quick glance back at the distraught girl. "Are you the one," he began as he slowly turned his head to face the cloaked being, "who appeared in Karin's mind…?" He kept his voice low.

"My, my Captain. Were you about to try an attack me?" The cloaked figure took a step closer to the young captain and pressed his gloved hand on the captain's chest. "That wasn't very nice," he tsked and took the last step to close the gap between the two.

Toshiro's eyes widened as he felt his body tensing. _"What the hell!? I can't move!" _He gritted his teeth and brought his eyes down to his zanpakutō. _"I can't lift my arms…" _He shifted his eyes to the hand pressed against his chest. "What…" He mumbled, finding it difficult to move his lips. "What are you…? Doing to me…?"

"Hmm, what am I doing to you, Captain?" The mysterious person laughed at the captain's dismay. "Shall I demonstrate my power?"

"Toshiro! Get away!" Karin pushed with all her might against Ichigo's arm, stumbling as she broke free.

"Karin, wait!" Ichigo bolted after the frantic girl.

Karin stopped a few feet away from the scene, arriving just in time to watch the cloaked figure push lightly against Toshiro's chest-shooting him backwards at an unbelievable speed.

"Shit!" Ichigo changed directions and leaped to catch the flying captain. He wrapped his arms around the small captain then turned in the air so he would bear the impact. "Ugh!" He shouted as the two crashed into the ground.

"Ichigo! Toshiro!" Karin turned on her heel and began racing towards the two boys, only to be stopped by a tight grip on her wrist. "Ahh!" She jerked her arm but couldn't free herself from the hand clasped around her wrist. "What the hell did you do to him!?" She spun around to face her captor.

"Ah Karin, I was simply giving him an example of my power. I fear he was greatly underestimating me." He whispered into Karin's ear, causing her to shudder. He laughed as she struggled to pry his fingers away from her wrists. "It's no use."

"What do you want!?" She screamed through gritted teeth.

"You, my precious Karin." He used his other hand to lightly brush a stray strand of hair away from her eye. "Won't you be a good girl and come with me?" He traced his thumb down her cheek.

"Like hell I would go with you! Now, let me go!" She dug her heels into the ground and began pulling away with all her might, gasping as she realized her efforts were useless.

"Oh? It appears we have some company." The cloaked figure turned his head to the orange-haired boy standing a close distance away. "Ah, the soul reaper brother has come to the rescue."

"Let her go, you bastard." Ichigo brought his hand to the hilt of his zanpakutō and pulled it to the front of his body, clasping both hands tightly around the hilt of the giant sword.

"I have heard many things about you, Ichigo Kurosaki." The cloaked being began moving towards Ichigo, dragging Karin with him. "Your strength is not something to take lightly." He stopped and gave a fake shudder. "How scary!" He laughed and jerked Karin to the front of his body, putting her between him and Ichigo.  
"You should know, when it involves my family, my strength will be stronger than yours!" Ichigo raised his sword and yelled as he rushed towards the mysterious person.

"You will hurt your dear little sister waving that thing around so carelessly, Ichigo." The cloaked figure wrapped his free arm around Karin's stomach.

"You think I don't know that!?" Ichigo slammed his zanpakutō down on the cloaked figure, causing him to fly back.

* * *

Karin turned in Urahara's arms and looked over his shoulder at the battle. "You are really fast," she mumbled as she squinted her eyes at the dirt drifting up from the blow.

"Of course I am," Urahara chuckled as he set Karin down, casting a nervous glance to the unconscious captain.

"Toshiro!" Karin dropped down beside her friend and placed her hand against his cold cheek. "What's wrong with him!?" She brought her tear-stricken eyes up to Urahara.

"I'm not entirely sure, but I think he will be fine." Urahara removed his hat and scratched at his head. He then turned to face the other soul reapers. "Let Ichigo handle this," he began, "You four are probably still weak from before." He turned back to Toshiro after receiving reluctant nods from the four injured people behind him.

Karin gently placed her hand on Toshiro's chest- the same spot that the cloaked figure pressed his hand against. She lightly rubbed her hand in a circular motion, hesitating when she noticed Toshiro wince slightly. She moved her hands to pull open his Shihakushō so she could get a better look at his chest, gasping at the large, black welt in the shape of a hand. "Urahara," she called over her shoulder. "Look at this!"

The older man leaned down and inspected the welt. He brushed his hand against it and took note on how it felt hot. "Odd," he muttered under his breath.

"Is he okay?" Ichigo approached the group and crouched down beside his sister. "Are you alright?" He gently placed his hand on her shoulder, sighing in relief as she nodded. He shifted his gaze to Urahara and the others. "The bastard just vanished." He brought his eyes down to the welt on Toshiro's chest. "I did manage to hit him before he disappeared." He sighed and stood up. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"You did well." Urahara placed a comforting hand on Ichigo's shoulder before turning to walk into his shop. "Renji, bring Captain Hitsugaya in here, would ya?" He called over his shoulder.

* * *

"What do we do?" Renji asked.

The group sat in a small room in Urahara's shop, surrounding a resting Toshiro. They have kept to themselves for a bit to try and process what is going on- Renji finally making the decision to break the silence.

"Rangiku, can you contact the soul society?" Urahara questioned.

"Sure." Rangiku pulled out the hollow tracker device-the cell phone- and began pressing buttons. After a few moments, Yamamoto's voice was heard through static. "Damn this thing," Rangiku griped as she hit it with her palm. "Sorry, it's not usually used for this purpose."

"Head Captain Yamamoto, I wonder if we could bring Ichigo Kurosaki's young sister to the soul society for a while. It appears she's in a bit of a predicament." Urahara rubbed his chin- a habit he appeared to have developed over time.

"Kisuke," Yamamoto began, "I'm afraid that might be a problem."

**And there is chapter 6! I'm beginning to notice that this may be slightly AU-ish. But who cares, it's my story! Haha, no, for real though, if that bothers anyone, I apologize. Anyway, thank you so much for all of the reviews, favorites, and follows! I hope you all like this chapter! **

**Bleach-Tite Kubo **


	7. Chapter 7 Toshiro's Plan

Chapter 7

Toshiro's Plan

Toshiro slowly lifted his heavy eyelids, blinking in an attempt to adjust his tired eyes to the dark room. He pushed up on his elbows- bad idea. A sharp pain pierced at his chest, causing the young captain to lie back down. Groaning, he carefully placed his hand on the throbbing wound that covered the center of his chest. "Hot…?" He muttered to himself as he felt the heat radiating off the wound.

"You're awake."

Toshiro flinched slightly at the familiar voice. His brows furrowed as he shifted his eyes around the dark room. "Hyōrinmaru?" Toshiro quickly shielded his eyes at the lights turning on in response to his question. After a few moments, he brought his arm down from his eyes, squinting at the now-bright room. Again, he attempted to push himself up. He gritted his teeth as he shifted into an upright position, bringing his eyes to the meet the gray eyes watching him.

"Why are you…?" The small captain glanced down at his zanpakutō lying beside him then back up at the tall man standing a few feet away.

"I was concerned." The human form of Toshiro's zanpakutō answered as he moved to crouch down beside the young captain. "I felt that I lost all contact with you."

"What happened?" Toshiro asked, returning to his calm yet serious composure he usually wears. He peered down at the black welt on his pale chest, moving his hand to match the hand-shaped welt.

"Rest, young Master." Hyōrinmaru spoke softly while carefully nudging Toshiro to lie back down.

Toshiro rolled his eyes but allowed Hyōrinmaru to push him back down. He sighed and draped and arm lazily over his eyes, wincing slightly at the pain from his chest. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to recall the previous events. _"Why can't I remember anything?"_ He huffed and flung his arm off his eyes, running his hand through his light hair. _"Focus." _He inhaled and exhaled deeply, clearing his panicked thoughts.

Soon, images of a cloaked figure began appearing in the captain's mind. He gasped as the memories began returning to him. _"I couldn't move! What did he do to me?" _ Toshiro tapped his fingers frantically against the floor as he tried to recall what happened after that. _"Nothing." _e H

He sighed and opened his eyes to stare at the white ceiling. _"After that, I can't remember anything." _

"Toshiro?"

The small captain was brought back from his thoughts by the sound of a soft, welcoming voice. He smiled in relief and rolled his head to the side to peer at the young girl. "Karin." He watched as she hurried over to his side. "Are you hurt?" He darted his eyes across her small frame, searching for any sign of an injury.

Karin let out a loud sigh, quickly shaking her head. "No." She glanced down at the bruised welt on her friend's chest. "I…Um…Does it hurt a lot?"

"I'm fine," Toshiro answered as he began pushing himself into a sitting position- the struggled effort to sit up made his words seem like a lie.

Karin quickly wrapped her arms around Toshiro's bare shoulders and helped him into a sitting position, noticing the way each movement caused him to grit his teeth. She watched as he drew one knee to his chest- careful of the wound. He rested his chin on his knee and tried to control his light panting.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Toshiro suddenly asked, causing Karin to jump- she was lost in thoughts concerning the small captain.

"Um well," She rubbed the back of her neck and looked down. "The man pushed you on your chest," she stopped to point at the hand-shaped welt, "and you flew backwards, but Ichigo caught you. Then he grabbed me and-" Her words were cut off by a small yet strong hand grabbing her arm. "Toshiro?"

"He…" Toshiro looked down and spoke in a low whisper-his bangs masking his eyes. "He grabbed you…?"

Karin could hear the desperation that hung off of his words. She carefully placed her free hand on the hand gripping her arm. "I'm fine. He didn't hurt me. Urahara got me right as Ichigo attacked him." She smiled softy as she felt his grip loosen on her arm.

"Did Ichigo kill him?" He watched as Karin's eyes quickly dropped to the floor, shoulders sagging. "Damn," he mumbled.

"He managed to get a hit in, but the guy got away right after…" Karin watched Toshiro's concentrated face. _"He's thinking… Should I tell him about what the Head Captain said…?" _Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of creaking floorboards. She hopped up and reached for her staggering friend. "Toshiro! What are you doing!?"

"I need," He shook free of Karin's grasp on his shoulders and stumbled to the wall closest to the door. "I need to speak with Kisuke." He began to quickly blink away the black spots forming in front of his eyes before clumsily reaching for the doorknob.

* * *

"This is bullshit!" Ichigo slammed his fist against the floor before jumping up, pacing back and forth. "Why the hell won't they let her into the Soul Society!? She will be safer there!" He sighed and leaned against a wall, digging his palms into his eyes. "What did that old man mean..? That he's worried taking Karin there will put a threat on the Soul Society?"

"What…?"

All heads turned towards the raspy voice- a unison gasp rang throughout the room at the sight of Captain Hitsugaya.

"Ca-Captain!" Rangiku jumped up but stopped as she watched Hyōrinmaru reach the small captain first.

Hyōrinmaru knelt down to pick up Toshiro but was brushed aside.

"Stop," Toshiro demanded- his voice as cold as his aura. He brought his turquoise eyes to meet Ichigo's brown ones. "What," He began, gripping the wall to steady himself, "What did you just say?"

* * *

Karin appeared seconds later behind the tense captain. She peered around the room, taking in all of the shocked faces watching Toshiro carefully. She went to place a comforting hand on Toshiro's shoulder but stopped as she noticed he was shaking. "To…Toshiro?"

"Ichigo," Toshiro began, never taking his eyes away, "Repeat what you just said."

Ichigo looked down, finally breaking free of Toshiro's icy glare. "The Soul Society won't let Karin stay there because they are afraid that her being there will cause a dangerous threat."

The room fell silent as all watched the young captain. After a few moments, Toshiro finally looked away from Ichigo and began stumbling towards the door leading outside. "I need some air," He mumbled as he staggered outside.

"Uh, Toshiro!" Karin quickly began going after him but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.

"Leave him," Urahara spoke. "He will be fine." Urahara had trouble believing his own words, so he gave a light nod to Renji and Yumichika, motioning for them to keep a close eye on the injured captain.

The two soul reapers stood up and left through the back door.

* * *

Toshiro welcomed the cold air brushing lightly against his heated cheeks. He shuffled to a nearby tree and collapsed against it. "Dammit," he cursed under his breath as he carefully touched the wound on his chest. "Why won't this heal?" He sighed and placed his head into his cupped hands. _"What do I do..? I promised to protect Karin…" _He slowly lifted his head as an idea popped into his mind. "Damn, I think that's my only option…"

The young captain groaned as he stood back up and turned to walk back to Urahara's shop. He glanced up at the roof, sensing spiritual pressure. "You two," he called out, nodding as Renji and Yumichika appeared, "You can go inside now." He continued walking into the shop, stopping before all of the worried eyes watching him. He waited until Renji and Yumichika came before he stated his plan.

"I'm afraid that we are out of options, so I've come up with a plan." He stopped to make sure everyone was listening. "I will take Karin far away from the town and wait until the man appears again. I'm assuming he will since he has a fascination for Karin. Once he comes," he paused, locking eyes with Karin's, "I will kill him."

**Aaaaaand there is chapter 7! Sorry in advance for grammar errors, and thank you for all the favorites, follows, and reviews! It means a lot! **


	8. Chapter 8 What Happened to Him

Chapter 8  
What Happened to Him

The silence that followed the young captain's idea was unsettling. All occupants of the room-with Karin as the only exception- wondered back to previous events that led the small captain to act on his own for the sake of others. Each weary individual could easily recall multiple times where the Squad Ten Captain had been injured or had fallen ill because of his worst characteristic-stubbornness. Every person that has ever gotten to know the small captain was made well-aware of this-his constant decisions to carry all burdens thrown his way by himself.

He, the young captain, knew too why no one has spoken up. He knows that they all worry for him because he is smaller than most; however, he knows that he proved himself by making it to a Captain's position. He believes- no he is sure- that he can handle this mysterious figure that is plaguing his dear friend. He made a promise- a promise to protect her, and he plans on holding onto his word. No matter what.

"Toshiro."

The small captain was brought back from his thoughts by a low voice tinged with anger. He shifted his eyes to the tall, orange-haired boy leaning against the wall opposite him. He opened his mouth to correct the disrespectful boy but decided against it. There was something in the taller boy's voice that put the young captain on edge- not sure if he should be concerned or annoyed.

"Ichigo." The young captain responded, matching said boy's tone.

"Why…?" Ichigo kept his head directed towards the ground, allowing his bright bangs to hood his eyes. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets out of fear that someone may notice them trembling. He sighed, tensing his body to stop the shaking anger that was building from his hands to his shoulders.

"Why," he began again. "Why do you want to fight alone?"

Toshiro expected this from Ichigo. This knowledge provided him with the opportunity to consider each reaction from each answer. Sadly, most of his imagined reactions resulted in Ichigo yelling at him-something he was aware his pounding headache could not handle. He bit his lip as he carefully selected the words that would soon anger the taller boy. However, Ichigo began again before he could get a word in.

"Are you not going to answer me, Toshiro?"

_"There he goes again." _Toshiro thought to himself, eyebrows twitching in annoyance. _"How many times must I tell that boy to call me Captain Hitsugaya before he obeys?" _He sighed and ran his hands through his white hair, ignoring the worried glances from the others. The soft sound of a creaking floorboard caused him to stir. He glanced up to see Ichigo walking towards him-each step coming down with more force than the last.

"Ichigo," Urahara stood from his spot and clasped his hand down on the tall boy's shoulder. "Take it outside, will you?"

Ichigo turned his head to look behind his shoulder at the older man. He watched as Urahara nodded towards Karin-silently warning him that an outburst might upset her. He gave Urahara one small nod before turning to walk past Toshiro, hoping that the captain will understand and follow him outside.

Before exiting, Toshiro took a moment to give Karin a reassuring smile with hopes to erase the worry etched on her face. That finished, he turned on his heel and stumbled after Ichigo.

* * *

The two boys walked silently for a while- Ichigo remaining a few steps ahead. The younger captain took advantage of this, wrapping his arms around his trembling shoulders. _"I'm cold…?" _He quickly dropped his arms when he noticed Ichigo's head turning slightly. The last thing he wanted was to look fragile during this confrontation.

After what felt like hours to the weakening captain, Ichigo finally stopped walking. He turned around and locked eyes with his superior- his angered brown eyes piercing Toshiro's hazy turquoise one's.

"Well," Toshiro finally spoke, annoyed at how raspy his voice sounded. "Go on and relieve your anger."

"The plan is stupid." Ichigo quickly began. "You will get yourself and my sister killed." He waited for an interruption from the captain but was greeted with silence-aside from the light sniffling coming from the smaller boy. Ichigo ignored this and continued. "Please let us help you." But still, he received no reaction from the captain.

By now, Ichigo was beginning to get annoyed at how unresponsive his friend was being. _"Fine," _he thought to himself, preparing to get aggressive. "How many times have you been hurt from working alone?"

Toshiro scowled and looked away.

"You can't go at this alone. I'm not going to let you just run away with my sister!"

"You don't trust me?" Toshiro kept his eyes locked on a tree to his right.

"I do," Ichigo lowered his voice slightly. "But, you can't honestly think that you can protect Karin in your current condition, can you?"

"I can because I'm fine." Toshiro cursed himself in his mind as his voice cracked.

"Oh?" Ichigo took a moment to examine the shorter boy. The longer he looked, the more concerned he grew. He watched the beads of sweat dripping down the smaller boy's head. He watched as the captain tensed when the cold wind brushed against him. Lastly, he noticed the normally pale boy's overly flushed cheeks.

"You look like shit to me," Ichigo stated bluntly, ignoring his concern for now.

Toshiro huffed before speaking. "Well, I'm fine. And, I'm sticking to my plan. I will keep my promise to protect Karin. I will do this alone because I do not want anyone else being troubled by this. Is that clear?"

"No," Ichigo began-his voice rising again. "She's my sister. How the hell am I not supposed to be troubled by it!?" He sighed as he watched Toshiro wince from his loud voice. "Listen," He began. "If you think that this is your fault-"

"It is." Toshiro looked down at his hands.

"Huh!?" Ichigo stumbled back.

"I was the one who told her how to control her spiritual pressure which ultimately put her into a meditative state."

"Yea, what's your point?" Ichigo crossed his arms and peered down at the troubled captain.

"Of course you wouldn't understand, Ichigo." Toshiro turned on his heel and began the long walk back to Urahara's, only to be jerked back around by a strong hand on his shoulder.

In the few seconds it took for his body to be completely turned around by Ichigo's grip, Toshiro felt his eyes dropping on the spinning world before him-collapsing into Ichigo's outstretched arms.

"To-Toshiro!?" Ichigo gaped at the fallen figure in his arms. He shifted the small boy so he could see his face. He quickly placed the back of his hand against Toshiro's forehead, hissing as he drew his hand away from the radiating heat. "Shit!"

Acting fast, Ichigo hopped up, cradling the shivering captain tightly against his chest-bridal style- as he began speed-walking back to Urahara's- mindful not to run because the wind had picked up drastically. He peered down as he heard an almost inaudible groan from the captain before said captain placed his trembling hand against his chest-the welt to be specific.

"That bastard…" Ichigo cursed as he thought back to the cloaked figure.

* * *

"What the hell did you do!?" Renji hollered as he raced to Ichigo.

Renji's booming voice caught Hyōrinmaru's attention-said man was sitting a short distance away. He too raced towards Ichigo and his fallen master.

"What happened to him?" Hyōrinmaru stepped forward to take the unconscious boy but pulled away at the sight of his shivering body.

"I…I don't know," Ichigo mumbled, pushing Toshiro closer to his chest to warm him. "But, I think it has something to do with the welt on his chest."

"Naturally," Urahara's voice interrupted the three worried boys. "That's a severe injury he has. He should have rested a lot longer than he did, but," He stopped to scratch his chin, letting out a light laugh. "This is Captain Hitsugaya we are talking about. He's a bit of a-"

"Workaholic," Yumichika finished, appearing beside Urahara with Ikkaku and Rangiku close behind him.

"Karin's asleep," Rangiku chimed in upon noticing Ichigo's confused expression. "She was exhausted."

Ichigo nodded then brought his eyes back to meet Urahara's. "What should we do? He needs treatment from the fourth squad."

"Bring him inside," Urahara stated, messy bangs masking his eyes. "I will see what Tessai can do for him."

**Many apologies for this taking longer than usual! Also, I wanna note that the Ichigo/Toshiro parts were intended to just be friendship (bromance-y) parts (unless you wanna read it differently, it's up to you) and that the Karin/Toshiro romance parts will be coming, I promise!**

**Thank you sooo sooooooo much for all the reviews, favorites, and follows. They mean so much! **

**Sorry in advanced for any grammar errors I might have missed! **

**Hope everyone enjoys! **


	9. Chapter 9 A New Plan is Set

Chapter 9

A New Plan is Set

Toshiro slowly opened his eyes. Pushing himself into a sitting position, he gingerly rubbed at his turquoise orbs while trying to remember the last thing that happened. He was beginning to grow concerned from his lack of memory when Karin and Ichigo entered the room.

"What happened?" The young captain asked, snapping his head towards the two approaching him.

"Dammit, Toshiro," Ichigo rubbed at the back of his neck while looking down at the small being before him. "You just woke up."

"Ichigo," Toshiro growled, "How many times do I have to tell you?"

"Just say Captain Hitsugaya, Ichigo," Karin chimed in, voice tinged with annoyance. She carefully claimed a spot on the floor close to Toshiro, eyeing him up and down to see if his condition has improved. "How are you feeling?" She finally questioned.

"Fine. Now, what happened?" Toshiro shifted his gaze from Karin to Ichigo, crossing his arms and tilting his head as a sign for them to explain.

Ichigo knelt down beside the young captain and pressed the back of his hand against said captain's forehead while placing his free hand on his own forehead. He stayed that way for a few moments before drawing his hand away from the captain's head. "Better," he mumbled before flopping down on the floor in front of the captain. "You don't remember what happened?"

Toshiro let his gaze fall to the floor while he desperately tried to recall the previous events, only to draw a blank after he remembered following Ichigo out of Urahara's Shop. "No," he finally responded. "I don't remember what happened after we left Urahara's."

"Well," Ichigo began, "I guess we got into an argument about your 'plan' and then you collapsed from a high fever."

"Tessai was tending to you for hours while Hyōrinmaru did everything he could to bring down your temperature," Karin finished.

Toshiro brought his hand up to hover over the welt on his chest before meeting eyes with Ichigo then Karin. "That man did something to me," he stated flatly. "Falling ill and losing my memories…" His voice trailed off as he thought back to his plan. _"I need to take action now before this gets any worse… Before I'm no longer able to protect Karin…" _

"Toshiro?" Karin cautiously placed a hand on the captain's arm-bringing him back from his thoughts.

"Sorry," Toshiro mumbled under his breath before meeting eyes with Ichigo. "Karin and I should leave toni-"

"No." Ichigo stood and turned towards the door. "While you were passed out, we devised a different plan."

"What?" Toshiro jumped up, glaring at the back of Ichigo's head.

The taller boy spun around, meeting Toshiro's icy glare with his own piercing glare. "This plan is better, so you are just going to have to deal with it." That being said, Ichigo spun on his heel and made his way to exit the room.

Toshiro drew his knees to his chest and placed his arms atop them, resting his head on his arms.

"Are you feeling sick again?" Karin asked, brows furrowed.

"No," Toshiro answered, voice muffled. He replayed Ichigo's words over and over in his head. _"New plan… Why? Does he not trust me..?" _He lifted his head at the sound of the door opening once again, groaning when he saw Rangiku's eyes widen at the sight of him.

"Captain!" Rangiku charged at the smaller boy, embracing him while unaware that he was being suffocated by her breasts.

"Rangiku," Toshiro hissed.

"Sorry!" Rangiku pulled away. She wiped at a nonexistent tear before letting out a loud squeal. "I was just so worried about you!"

"I'm fine," Toshiro mumbled. He looked up to see Urahara and Renji walking in with Ichigo following closely behind. "Where are Ikkaku and Yumichika?"

"I sent them out to patrol the surrounding area," Urahara answered. "Good to see you awake and well," he added while taking the place on the floor across from the captain.

"What is this 'new plan'?" The small captain questioned.

"Ah well," Urarhara laughed nervously while scratching at his chin. "I respect your plan, but," he paused, tilting his head down to allow his bangs to cover his eyes. "It's too dangerous," he continued, voice shifting to a more serious tone. "So, we decided it would be best for Ichigo and Renji to go with you and Karin while Rangiku, Ikkaku and Yumichika stay here to keep watch for hollows."

Toshiro stood up and moved to the door. He stopped before exiting to peer over his shoulder. "Fine," he mumbled before turning his head back to the front. "Start preparing. We will leave first thing tomorrow morning." That being said, he exited the room, grabbing his zanpakutō on his way out of the shop.

* * *

"Toshiro!" Karin stopped running, bending over and placing her hands against her knees while she gasped for breath.

The young captain turned to the sound of the familiar voice. He moved towards the panting girl, stopping a few feet before her. "Are you alright?"

Karin nodded before straightening herself. She wiped the back of her hand against her forehead then asked, "Where are you going?"

"To train," he answered.

"You should rest instead," Karin noted, pointing at the welt on his chest.

"All I have been doing is resting," Toshiro replied. "I'm beginning to feel restless, so I need to train."

Karin sighed. She knew that there would be no reason to even try to argue with the captain further, so instead she asked, "Well, can I watch?"

Toshiro locked eyes with Karin before nodding, turning to lead her to a clearing he noticed before she arrived.

* * *

For the last three hours, Karin sat quietly under a tree a good distance away while she watched Toshiro train. He first began with simple swordsmanship, swinging his zanpakutō quickly from different angles. But soon, he moved on to harnessing Hyōrinmaru's power, slowly progressing into his bankai. Karin often noticed the way the sky darkened and the air around her got so cold that her entire body felt numb when Toshiro was focusing while in his bankai.

Karin never complained though. She enjoyed watching Toshiro train. She would notice small details- the way his head would drop slightly after taking a stance, the way his back arched with each swing, the way his hands would twist in opposite directions upon gripping the hilt of the blade, the way his bangs would slide effortlessly back into place after each turn of his head.

The young girl felt a blush creeping up her cheeks as she picked out each tiny detail. She shook her head to clear her thoughts-or rather to allow her hair to hide her blushing cheeks- upon seeing the young captain walk over to her, extending his hand to help her to her feet.

"Sorry that took so long," Toshiro spoke apologetically as he pulled Karin into a standing position.

"Oh, it's fine," Karin smiled, rubbing at the back of her neck. "It was fun. You are really impressive."

Toshiro couldn't stop the twitching at the corners of his mouth- giving in to reveal a soft smile. He looked up at the darkening sky and thought back to the distance away from Urahara's Shop. "We should go," he spoke after a few comfortable moments of silence. "It's getting dark."

Karin nodded and began walking, only to be stopped seconds later by a cold hand grasping her small hand. She looked back to meet eyes with Toshiro, shooting him a questioning look.

But, Toshiro simply looked down and pushed ahead of Karin, never releasing his grip on her hand as he led her back to Urahara's Shop.

**Aaaaaaand here is chapter 9! The next chapters will start to get more into the plot. Woo! **

**Sorry in advanced for any grammar errors! (More like misspelled names. I check them a lot but I'm still afraid I'm going to accidentally misspell one and not realize until days later) **

**And as always, I hope everyone enjoys! **


	10. Chapter 10 It's Time to Leave

Chapter 10

It's Time to Leave

Karin pushed the strap from her backpack higher up on her shoulder. She blew into her cold hands as she looked up at the dark sky. Daylight, she realized, won't be here for another hour or so.

It was late last night when Karin told her father and sister that she would be away for a few days- realistically speaking, she has no idea how long she would be gone, but saying that would only worry her family. She hated lying to them- saying that she was going to a surprise camp with the soccer team. But, she feared what would happen if she decided to stay home instead of accompanying Toshiro, Renji, and Ichigo.

Still, Karin was gravely worried even though her family would be constantly monitored by the other soul reapers. She couldn't help but ponder the 'what ifs'- what if the mysterious person decided to target Yuzu instead, what if said person takes out the soul reapers, what if those weird hollows appear again.

She was anxious; she knew this. It's the same as if she were preparing for a soccer game- nerves wracking her small frame and the nagging fear of letting her team down. She should be used to this sensation by now, but for some reason, she couldn't shake the feeling away. It's different, she realized, when lives are at stake.

Squeezing her eyes shut, Karin began to inhale and exhale, calming her racing heart and clearing her cluttered mind. The last thing she needed was to be hindrance or come off as some fragile china doll that needed to be tended to with the utmost care. "I'm stronger than that," she assured herself, opening her eyes to look at the sky once again- now lighter than before.

"Did someone doubt your strength?" Toshiro approached the ravenette, stopping beside her.

Karin flinched. She couldn't even hear him come up from behind her. _"I really must be on edge," _she thought as she flashed a confident grin towards the captain. "Nope!" Clasping her hands behind her head, Karin did her best to appear relaxed.

"It's okay to be nervous, Karin." Toshiro softened his expression as he peered up at the sky. "But, Ichigo, Renji and I will not let anything happen to you."

"I know," Karin answered. She tilted her head down to stare at her shoes, allowing her lips to pull into a half-smile. She shifted her eyes to the right, peering through her hair at the captain standing beside her. Eyeing him up and down, Karin realized two things: one being that Toshiro was in his gigai- clad in a turquoise-collared shirt that beautifully matched his eyes with a black jacket accompanying it, and the other being that she couldn't pull her eyes away from him. It was almost as if she was in awe at the mere sight of him. She understood that this is probably the worst time to be thinking about how attractive the captain looks, but at the same time, studying his features closely put her at ease- a feeling she's been desperate for.

"Karin?" Toshiro glanced at the ravenette, noting how she quickly looked back down- allowing her hair to hide her face once more. "Something wrong?" He watched as she frantically shook her head. He too shook his head before directing his eyes back to the sky, making it seem like he was interested in the rising sun when he was really thinking about the blush painted on Karin's pale cheeks. And, something tells him that it wasn't from the cold.

"How are you feeling?" Karin questioned suddenly as she gestured towards the captain's chest.

Toshiro looked down, placing his hand over the welt on his chest. To say he was concerned about this wound would be an understatement. But, it was not his life he was worried for, it was Karin's, Renji's and Ichigo's. He realized he was faced with this biting reality that he could collapse at any moment- which, for him, translated to collapsing during battle. The captain was very well aware that Ichigo and Renji were capable of protecting themselves as well as Karin, but he couldn't help but dawdle on the 'what ifs'- thoughts he always pondered but chose to ignore. He knew how life-threatening it can be to be distracted during battle- he's witnessed it as well as experienced it.

Toshiro let his hand fall back down to his side. Looking weak in front of Karin was the last thing he wanted to do for the sake of strategic reasons as well as personal reasons- reasons he was still trying to decipher. "I'm fine," he finally answered, mentally cursing himself for hesitating to respond.

"You aren't worried that you may get sick again while we are out there?"

'Of course I'm worried' is what he wanted to say but he had to remain calm. Instead he decided on a simple "No."

"Then, I won't be worried either," Karin finally looked up at the captain, revealing her reddened face.

Toshiro slipped his hand into Karin's, lacing his small fingers with her equally small fingers. _"A perfect fit" _he thought as he gave her hand a tight squeeze before drawing his hand away. "This will all be fine. You'll see."

"Right," Karin replied, sighing as she heard her usual confident tone return in her voice. She watched as Toshio excused himself to go talk with Rangiku. That conversation, she noticed, made her feel much better than she felt a few minutes before. She was still worried- that was something she couldn't help. But, Toshiro's reassurance helped a lot. She lifted the hand that was just in contact with Toshiro's, smiling as she wriggled her fingers. "Things will be okay," she muttered.

"Yea they will," Ichigo laughed as he slapped his hand down on Karin's shoulder, ignoring her now twitching eyebrows.

"Why are you so loud in the mornings?" Karin knocked Ichigo's hand away from her shoulder.

As if on cue, Renji raced outside, shouting a loud "Ichigo!" before walking up to him.

"I'm not as loud as him," Ichigo muttered before turning to greet Renji. "What's up? Why are you so happy right now?"

"Because I'm ready to kick this guy's ass!" Renji yelled.

"You shouldn't underestimate him," Ichigo warned, surprising himself at his serious tone.

"Once he gets a taste of Zabimaru, he will regret ever messing with us!" Renji spoke confidently.

Ichigo rolled his eyes before walking back to Karin. Looking down at his sister, he asked, "Are you sure about this?"

"Of course I'm sure," Karin responded flatly.

"It's going to get dangerous, Karin," Ichigo said. He, along with everyone else, was worried. But, he was also pissed- pissed at the guy who put Karin in danger. He hated, more than anything, when his family was put in harm's way. It made his blood boil and awakened a different, more violent side of him. But, at the same time, he was thankful for this angered feeling for he was the type of person who fought based on emotions. The angrier he was, the harder he fought. He knew that this fighting style was dangerous on one too many levels- and he was often scolded for it. But, his emotions served as his drive. Therefore, he knew he would fight in this battle with everything he had and more. _"No holding back" _he thought.

"Ichigo, I'm not some little kid anymore." Karin crossed her arms, sticking her hip out and cocking her eyebrow.

Ichigo breathed out a light laugh before ruffling Karin's hair, regretting that moments later when he was kicked in the shin. "That kick has gotten stronger," he hissed through gritted teeth.

"Of course it has. I have soccer to thank for that." Karin tilted her chin up and threw her shoulders back, mustering up a look between proud and arrogant. "I plan on practicing while we wait. I don't want to get behind."

"Whatever," Ichigo said. "Don't ask me to practice with you."

"Why would I do that," Karin asked through a laugh. "You suck at soccer."

"I do not!" Ichigo bent down until he was eye level with his sister, sneering at her as she stuck her tongue out.

"Are you two finished?" Renji and Toshiro walked towards the bickering siblings. "It's about time to head out," the red-head said.

Ichigo straightened his back and glanced down at Karin, shooting her a questioning look.

Karin nodded at her brother, changing her expression to what she hoped was a look of determination.

"We're ready," Ichigo answered.

The group walked towards a mass of trees to the left of them. This forest lied on the outskirts of Karakura Town. About half way in, there's a small cave that the group decided would serve as their destination- providing protection from the weather as well as the battle.

Stopping before they entered the forest, the four exchanged glances with one another. Once there appeared to be in a mutual agreement to leave, the group began walking into the forest, quickly being devoured by the masses of trees.

* * *

"I'm so bored," Ikkaku whined. He, Yumichika and Rangiku were spread out on the roof of the Kurosaki's house. They had been carefully watching Yuzu and Isshin as well as the surrounding area for hollows.

"Yumi, let's fight!" Ikkaku drew his zanpakutō as he approached his friend.

"Wouldn't you rather fight me? I am a lieutenant after all," Rangiku made a scene of flipping her long hair back behind her shoulder and gesturing towards her lieutenant's badge.

Ikkaku cocked his eyebrow before turning back to Yumichika. "So, you ready to fight?"

Yumichika ignored Ikkaku's question as well as the whines coming from Rangiku. He narrowed his eyes, shifting his purple orbs from left to right. "Do you feel that?" He finally asked, positioning his hand to hover over his zanpakutō.

Ikkaku and Rangiku fell silent- both sensing the uneasy feeling in the air around them.

The sound of a loud growl had the three soul reapers moving in an instant. The trio reached the owner of the growl- a fairly large hollow located a short distance away from the Kurosaki's house. "Let me handle this," Ikakku suggested- a devious grin playing on his lips. "Go back to the house."

Rangiku and Yumichika hesitated- both thinking back to the hollows that could not be harmed that they faced a few days before. Finally, they nodded. They both knew that even though Ikkaku was ranked third in the eleventh squad, he was still considered one of the stronger soul reapers.

"If you don't return in five minutes, we are coming back," Yumichika stated before turning to go back to the house.

"I only need one minute," Ikkaku mumbled before approaching the hollow. "Finally! Something fun to do!"

**And, there is chapter 10! Sorry for the delay! Also, sorry in advanced for grammar errors! (I feel like even though I have proof read twice, there are still gonna be a few) **

**Thank you for all the reviews, favorites, and follows and I hope everyone enjoys! **


	11. Chapter 11 Impossible Hollow

**A/N-There's gonna be a part that's italicized (Ikkaku's fight) - that's Ikkaku telling what happened/flashback (if that makes sense). I just wanted to point that out because I also use italics for 1****st**** person thoughts.**

Chapter 11

A Reappearance of an Impossible Hollow

Yumichika drew in a sharp breath as he looked out past the trees from atop the Kurosaki's house. He wasn't sure exactly how much time had passed, but he knew it was closing in on the five minute mark, and Ikkaku had yet to return. To say he was worried would be an understatement. Ikkaku was his best friend- they had been together for years and years. And, Ikkaku had told him countless times not to worry when he fought- if he died, then he died and if he lived, well then he lived. That was that. But, Ikkaku still took the time to reassure- in a rather arrogant matter- that he would not die.

Yumichika had seen Ikkaku on the verge of a few times before, but still the bald man pulled through. So, he wasn't exactly sure why he was so worried- probably the fact that Ikkaku was taking longer than usual to fight a single hollow, or the fact that the battle thus far was quiet. The lack of sound frightened him the most. He witnessed how excited Ikkaku was for the fight right before he left. And, if anyone knew about Ikkaku's fighting style, they knew he had the tendency to shout curse words on the top of his lungs- shouts that were either anger induced or solely for the purpose of expressing his enjoyment.

Enough was enough. Yumichika moved his hand to clutch the hilt of his zanpakutō before turning to give Rangiku one small nod. They both turned and prepared to race back to the battle, only to halt at the sound of a bush rustling a few feet away.

Yumichika narrowed his eyes, pinpointing the exact location the sound came from. He gasped, completely unprepared for the sight he was now witnessing. "Ikkaku!" With speed he was not even aware he was capable of, Yumichika lunged off the roof and raced towards the limping man with Rangiku right on his heels.

"Dammit," Ikkaku cursed weakly before toppling over- falling into Yumichika's steady arms rather than the hard ground.

"What happened?!" Rangiku examined the soul reaper- cringing at the sights of blood gushing from his side and head as well as dark bruises forming on his arms and neck. She did not even want to begin to think of the condition his legs may be in.

"We need to get help." Yumichika looked over at the entrance of the Kurosaki residence, frantically trying to remember what Urahara had told them before they departed. _"A clinic! That's right! The house doubles as a clinic!"_ He shifted his gaze back to Rangiku- who offered a quick nod. "Let's just hope his father answers the door."

The trio walked- or rather, Yumichika and Rangiku walked while supporting Ikkaku- up to the door step. Rangiku used her free hand to ring the doorbell once, silently praying that Karin's sister didn't answer.

"Come inside," Isshin spoke lowly as soon as the door was opened wide enough to see his late visitors. He stepped aside and ushered the three in, tossing his thumb over his shoulder to point to the staircase. "Upstairs. Last room on the left." He turned to make sure the soul reapers were heading in the right direction before making his way to the medical closet, stopping briefly to give a quick kiss to the memorial poster of his beloved Masaki.

* * *

Ikkaku groaned before slowly forcing his heavy eyelids open. He blinked once, twice, three times before noticing that he was staring at a ceiling instead of the night sky. "What the hell?" He lifted his arm to rub at his eyes, only to wince and let his arm fall back down on the bed. _"Bed?" _He forced himself into a sitting position, ignoring the pain piercing at his side. He placed one hand on his head while the other clutched the bed sheets. "Shit," he wheezed out as the whole room began to spin.

"Take it easy, Ikkaku." Yumichika gently pushed on Ikkaku's shoulders until said man's head fell against the pillow. "Let me just go ahead and answer the questions that you are going to ask. We came to get medical assistance from Isshin because you were badly injured during the fight with the hollow. Isshin's letting us stay in Ichigo's room until you are healed."

"We need to be watching for hollows." Mere seconds after Ikkaku pointed out their duty, Rangiku hopped through the window, letting out a noisy sigh when she saw Ikkaku awake.

"All clear," Rangiku spoke confidently before peering down at the wounded man. "Do you remember what happened?"

Ikkaku squeezed his eyes shut, steadying his breathing. "Yea," he began.

* * *

_"Bout time something fun happened!" Ikkaku laughed as he closed the distance between he and the hollow. He stopped right before it, eyeing it up and down._

_ The hollow was a lot bigger up close- almost the size of a two story house. It stood on two long, thick legs, supporting a bulky torso. Its arms were the longest arms the bald man has ever seen on a hollow. They curled into a pile on the ground when hung at the sides, giving off the idea that they have no muscles in them. Its mask's was a bright white that stood out against the hollow's black skin. While the mask itself was bare, the rest of the hollow's body was covered in yellow, vertical lines, starting from the neck and stretching all the way down to its feet._

_ Despite all of these features, Ikkaku could not help but gawk at the mask. No eyes and no teeth. It looked as if someone cut an oval out of a blank sheet of paper and pasted it on the hollow's head._

_ "Ugly," Ikkaku mumbled. No more than a second after the words left his lips, the soul reaper heard a smack, felt a sharp pain on his side, and then flew straight into a tree- he had no time to react. "Ugh!" He hacked up a good amount of blood before regaining his composure. "What the… Hell?" He dropped his head to see one of those snake-like arms pinning him to the tree. "Bastard," he cursed before wiggling his arm free. He reached down for his zanpakutō but was only greeted with air. "What?!" Lifting his head back up, the bald man saw his zanpakutō lying on the ground where he was standing just moments before. _

_ 'Shit," he muttered under his breath before allowing a small smile to play on his lips. "No worries," he reassured himself as he dropped his head once more, preparing to chomp on the arm holding him against the tree. As soon as his teeth made contact with the thick skin, the arm loosened just enough for Ikkaku to lift his leg and kick it away. He dropped to the ground and let out a loud grunt as he raced towards his zanpakutō, unaware that the hollow's head was following his every move. _

_ "Ha!"Ikkaku grabbed his zanpakutō and spun around, pointing the sword at the hollow. "You're mine now!" He charged forward, easily dodging the swinging arms. Pushing off the ground, he bolted upward until he was level with its mask. "See ya later!" Raising his arms high above his head, he smirked as he swung his blade down on the mask, only to be shot back a few feet from the impact. _

_ "Dammit," he whispered as he wiped the blood dripping down his temple. "It's one of those…" He allowed his mind to quickly wander back to the hollows they fought before- the ones that could not be harmed no matter how hard they tried. "Think." He muttered under his breath as he began to ponder his options- all leading to the use of his bankai. "Just for one hollow...?" He sighed, closing his eyes and focusing his spiritual pressure. "Bank-"_

_ Ikkaku's eyes flew open as he felt the hollow's arms wrapping around his arms. Pulling tighter and tighter until the bald man was sure that his arms were going to fall off. "You can't stop me," he called out weakly before opening his mouth to try once more with his bankai. But, to his dismay, one of the arms slid up his neck until it covered his mouth. _

_ Ikkaku grunted against the thick skin covering his mouth. He bit down again, hoping it would loosen its grip, but instead, the arm only tightened-appearing unaffected by the bite. _

_ The soul reaper felt his mind growing foggy as the arm tightened around his neck, preventing him from breathing. He was pissed- no, more like furious. What would the Soul Society think if they were told that he, a member of the 11__th__ Squad, was killed be a single hollow? What would his captain think? What would…. What would Yumichika think? _

_ "No," he muttered against the arm's hot skin. He squeezed his eyes closed and pushed those thoughts away from his mind. "Not…Gonna…Die…" He breathed out. He could feel his end approaching, and as much as he hated to admit it, he was scared. He didn't want to die- especially not from some stupid hollow. _

_ However, it appeared luck was on his side as he found himself gasping for breath as he collapsed to the ground. Panting, he lifted his heavy head to see that the hollow had vanished- just like the others. "Why?" He breathed out as he reached for his zanpakutō, using it to push himself up off the ground. _

_ Slowly turning on his heel, Ikkaku carefully made his way back to the Kurosaki residence._

* * *

"And, that's about it." Ikkaku sighed and draped his arm over his eyes. "These hollows are really starting to piss me off."

Yumichika sat silently, replaying what Ikkaku said over and over again in his head. He was relieved that his best friend was still alive, but he was also frightened. He knew how strong Ikkaku was, and the fact that he was willing to resort to bankai worried Yumichika deeply. In all the years that he's known the man, he's only seen him resort to bankai twice. The 11th Squad was a physical strength squad- simply put, they didn't want to rely on the power of their zanpakutōs until absolutely necessary. And, Ikkaku was a man who followed that idea closely- maybe even a little too closely.

"Yumi?" Ikkaku moved his arm from his eyes to peer up at his friend. "What's up? That frown doesn't suit your face."

Yumichika let a small laugh escape his lips before lifting his head to look at his friend. "Just thinking about these hollows," he responded.

"I should contact the Captain," Rangiku noted before pulling cell phone out from in between her breasts.

"Why there?" Yumichika groaned.

"Where else?!" Rangiku pushed her chest out in Yumichika's face. "It's the perfect place!"

"Just call the captain!" Yumichika fell back against his chair.

"Right." Rangiku began punching buttons on the phone before a muffled voice was heard through the static. "Captain?"

* * *

Toshiro snapped his phone shut before turning to the others. "Ikkaku is injured."

"What?!" Ichigo and Renji questioned in unison.

"It appears he fought one of those hollows that cannot be harmed." Toshiro responded.

"What about Yumichika and Rangiku?" Renji asked.

"They stayed to guard the house upon Ikkaku's request." Toshiro sighed and stood up, walking towards the entrance of the cave.

"Of course he would want to fight alone," Renji griped. "Where are you going, Captain?!" Renji and Ichigo hopped up as they watched Toshiro step outside of the cave.

"I just need some air. I'm not going far. Stay and watch Karin." Toshiro looked over his shoulder at the two soul reapers watching him. He let his eyes fall to the sleeping girl by the fire.

"Toshiro," Ichigo whispered- voice low, displaying a warning tone.

"It's Captain Hitsugaya, Ichigo. And, I said I will be back shortly. Stay put. That's an order." That being said, Toshiro disappeared into the darkness outside of the cave.

**I'm sorry this took so long! And, I don't really know how to write fighting scenes, but I'm trying! So, forgive me if it's bad. **

**Sorry in advanced for any grammar errors! And, I hope everyone enjoys!**


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